In some cases, being employed also means being in this clashy kind of state with the higher-ups. And there doesn’t really have to be any reason for it. On one end, it can be just that feeling of impending doom that the higher-ups have more power and hence you best behave. But there’s also that one boss who decides they just don’t like your face and make your life difficult. For absolutely no reason at all. Honestly, not even because of the face.
But not all is lost, as exemplified by this one Redditor who, after getting fired from a job she loved by a toxic boss, decided to do pretty much the same in a bit of a different context. And another level.
More Info: Reddit
While bosses can be quite scary as they can quite literally kick you out of the company, that doesn't mean they can't be touched any more
Image credits: Marcus Aurelius (not the actual image)
This one Redditor shared a story of pro revenge where she made quick work of a toxic boss who took away a job she loved
Image Credits: u/Leveler_Cleveler_9
Image credits: ThisisEngineering RAEng (not the actual image)
Image Credits: u/Leveler_Cleveler_9
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual image)
Image Credits: u/Leveler_Cleveler_9
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual image)
So, Reddit user u/Leveler_Cleverer_9 is a disabled woman working with tech—actually, at the time of the story, she was in it for 20-something years. Now, I say was because of course a pro revenge story has to have a premise for the pro revenge.
Long story short, OP lost her job because some new hotshot manager was assigned to oversee her team and he just plain didn’t like her. There were speculations that it might have had something to do with her being a woman in tech, being disabled, having her own office, being a senior specialist, actually being able to resolve complex problems at work or a mix of all of these.
Honestly, it was downright unfair, to say the least. But it wouldn’t be a revenge story without some damn satisfying payback. And that came in the form of an “oh, you ended my job here? Let’s end your entire career here” scheme.
You see, because it was a pretty tightly knit tech community where OP worked, everyone sorta knew everyone within the local industry. So, when she got a call from someone she knew in another tech company about her ex-boss—yep, the nasty one—she engaged pro revenge in a heartbeat.
While she couldn’t straight up tell her contact what really happened, she did end up hypothetically having a personal call with her and sharing some stories of the boss’ toxic agenda. What was worse is that it all came to fruition when he was called in for an interview and showed signs—very obvious ones—of said hypothetical behavior.
Needless to say, that didn’t work out in his favor. In fact, that interview alone has gotten him essentially banned from getting a job anywhere in the area when it comes to tech. Maybe beyond. Because stories travel far and wide in the area. For obvious reasons.
Image Credits: u/Leveler_Cleveler_9
Long story short, the Redditor was an amazing specialist, but some boss-man decided to make quick work of her just because
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual image)
7,000 upvotes and a handful of Reddit awards later, the post went viral and folks loved it. For many, it felt relatable because they had their own stories to tell, or they've worked in the industry long enough to see how middle management is all the same in the area of tech.
Others praised OP’s writing, but also were surprised that this happens at all in the first place. According to Employee Lawyer Matthew K. Fenton, just last year, 46% of surveyed employees said discrimination is a problem at their workplace.
Specifically, a bit over half (55.8%) of the 60,000+ cases analyzed were discrimination of retaliation (that’s when the person who was reported for discrimination abuses their power to make the employee pay for it). Disability came in second at 36.1% and sex was #4 on the list with 31.7% (race was #3).
Now, are these complaints actually resolved? It varies wildly depending on the stat you’re looking at, and the majority of the cases end up being resolved out of court, and hence out of the stat. However, sex and race cases have the highest rate of resolution, clocking in at around 120,000 successful cases since the end of the 1990s. This translates to settlements averaging at $40,000, but if the employer is big enough, it can be as high as $300,000.
That didn't work out all that well because people talk and recruiters take notes—notes that tell absolutely everyone what a little urchin you are
Image Credits: u/Leveler_Cleveler_9
Over 7K sets of hands clapping and thumbs-upping later, the post went viral, and everyone was happy to see Mr. Boss get "banned" from the industry
Image credits: Edmond Dantes (not the actual image)
And if you are being actively discriminated against in the workplace, do absolutely consider seeking employment law consulting because someone has to deliver a legal slap to those asking for it. But before you do that, do be sure to check out the post in context, and do be sure to leave a comment if you’ve experienced something similar in the comment section below!